Rim for vehicle-wheels.



A. F. PELZ, RIM FOR VEHICLE WHEELS. APPLIGATION FILED 121113.27, 1914.

Llgygg; PatentedMar. 2, 1915.

Civ

n sans narrar rrp,

MGLF iF. PELE, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO,A ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRD T0 CHARLES W.

BROWN.

RIM FOR VEHICLE-WHEELS.

manson..

Specification of Letters Patent.

'retreated nar. e, rois.

application led February', 1914. Serial No. 821,379.

To all whom/t may concern:

` Be it known that l, Abou' lt". PELz, a c1t1- zen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement inA Rims for Vehicle-Vlheels of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings. l

rllhis invention relates to rims for vehicle wheels and has particularreference to rims of the type having outwardly projecting spacedcircumferential flanges adapted to embrace the sides of a pneumatic orother road engaging tire. The rigidity of these tires renders it verydi'flicult to pry the same over the edges of these flanges forpurposesof repair or replacement, wherefore various enpedients have beensuggested for the purpose of removing or collapsing these flanges tofacilitate passing them through the tire.

'lhe object of the present invention is a new and improved means ofsecuring together the ends of a rim of this nature so that the same maybe strong and reliable for purposes of use and yet may be easilycollapsed to permit therepair or replacement of the tire..

@ther objects are the provision of a device -of this character of theutmost simplicity and smallest possible number of parts; the provisionof a device all of the parts of which may be made of cold-rolledl metaland with a minimum of machine work;A whilel further objects will appearas the description proceeds.

Generally speaking my invention may be defined as consisting of thecombinations and constructions recited` in the claims hereto annexed andillustrated, in one embodiment, in the drawings accompanying and formlnga part of this application, wherein:

Figure l is a view of a portion of the outside face of a transverselysplit, tirereceiving rim, the abutting ends thereof being securedtogether in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a view of theinsidev the directionof the arrows, showing the rim in position on thewheel-folly.

j Describing the parts by reference characters my improved rim consistsof a metallic channel-member bent into substantially circular form, saidchannel member comprisin abase portion '1, which, in the completed rim,poseemos a substantially cylindrical shape as is here shown, and also apair of side flanges 2-2 of the usual or any suitable shape whereby thetire is retained in place. It will be understood that the particular`comtiguration of these side" flanges is not important to the presentinvention. This rim is transversely split at some one point, asindicated at 3 so as to permit one end of the rim as 4 .to be lappedinside of the other end 5 to allow the constriction of the rim so as tofree the flanges from the walls of the tire. ln order to secure togetherthe abutting ends of this rim l preferably form one of the same with arecess 6 having its sidewalls undercut as illustrated at 7 7, and at theother end of the rim with a pro- .jection 8 adapted to fit into thisrecess and engage the undercut portions of its walls so as to retainsaid rim against expansion. rllhis projection is preferably of the samethickness as the base portion and formed entirely in the samecylindrical surface therewith, thus enabling it to be formed by apunching or stamping operation and with- `out the necessity for hotrolling. ln the present embodiment l have shown the projection 8 as of Tshape,.and such l believe to be the most desirable construction, al.

though it is obvious that other configurations can be. employed ifdesired.

To the outer face of the projection 8 l.' secure by means of a rivet 9,or ythe like, a. plate 10, arranged to overlap the portion of the end 5adjacent thereto so as to determine the position of the projection 8.'l` his plate 10 isl secured tothe inner face of the rim so as not tointerfere with the tire, and is sutliciently narrow to lie between theside yflange lof the felly band and the wedge device with which it isused, so as not to interfere with thelocation of the rim upon the wheel.Also its transverse width is preferably slightly less than that of therecess 6 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to pervent the formation ofcorners in which dirt might lodge and so obstruct the operation.

Pivoted to the inner'face of the end e of the rim, as, by means of therivet'12, 1s a latch'13, havingbne of itsends preferably undercut so asto forman overlapping portion 14 adapted to engage the opposite member,and having its other end formed for impositive engagement lwith the rimso as t` inhibit its accidental displacement. In the presentembodimentthe end of the plate 10 is shown as having a rabbeted portion15, adapted to coperate with the overlapping end 14r of the latch,although it is obvious that withaslightly modified arrangement of partsthe latch could coperate with some other portion of the rim, such as theprojectionS. The means here disclosed for restraining the latchl againstaccidental displacement consists in embossing the same as at -16 andproviding the rim with a rounded cavity 17 adapted to receive this boss.The end of the latch-is preferably of camshape as shown at 18 so as topress against the plate 10 and take upany looseness that may be present.

When it is desired to collapse the rim the latch 13 is turned to oneside as shown in dOtted'lines in Fig. 2, after whichthe ends of therimcan be separated and collapsed as illustrated in Fig. v4:.- When the rimends lare connected together as shown in Figs. 1 and A3, the'vplate 10and latch 13 are received in theA recess defined between the flange 19of the felly band and ythe wedge ring 20,

'thus shielding the same' from contact with obstructions and positivelypreventingedis-4 placement.

In addition, the distance. between the outer face of the felly band andthe innerface of the "rim is'preferably made such as to l:receive snuglytheplate 10 and latch 13, wherefore the radial movement of fthe latchnecessary to disengage the boss 16 from the cavity 17 is prevented, thusrendering. disconnection absolutely impossible so lY ast-he rim is inposition on the wheel. t. will be understoodtha't changes may be madeinthe construction,`design, and arrangement of. parts, and all suchchanges fall within my invention so far as they. are included in .theappended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclai-m isz- `1. A tirereceiving rim comprising a transversely split metallic channel memberbentto circular form, one of its ends having a recess formed withundercut walls and the' otherl end having 'a projection adapted toentersaid recessandinterlock with the' l Walls thereof, a,plate secured. tothe `inner face of. said. projeetionand overlapping the same so as toengage the opposite end about said recess and, restrain said ends'against relative radial movement in :onedirection, and @movable-latchmember carried by the inner face .of said :run adjacent-...te its.opposite end and adaptedto engage al portion of said rst named end,whereby the ends may be restrained against relative kradial movement inthe other direction.

2. A tire receiving rim comprising a transversely split metallic channelmember bent to circular form, one of its ends'havinga recess formed withundercut walls and the other end having a projection adapted to entersaid recess and interlock with the Walls thereof, a plate secured to theinner face of said rim and overlapping the end thereof so as .to engagethe opposite end and restrain said ends against relative radial movementin one direction, the end of said plate being rabbeted, and a latchmember pivoted to the interior of said rim adjacent to its opposite endand movable about a radial axis, said latch having an undercut endadapted -to engage said rabbeted portion, l

whereby the ends of said rim may be restrained against relative radialmovement in the opposite direction.

3. A tire receiving rim comprising a transversely split metallic channelmember bent to circular form and having a substantially cylindricalbaseportion provided with marginal flanges, one end of said base portionbeing cut through to form a recess, the vwalls of which are undercut,the other end of said base portion having a projection adapted to entersaid recess and interlock with the walls thereof so as to secure saidrim against expansion, meanseaixed to the inner face of said-projectionand adapted to engage the opposite end of said base portion forpreventing relative radial movement of said lends, certain of Said meansbeing displaceable to permit connection and ldisconnection of said ends.

4. Atire receiving rim comprisin atransversely split metallic channelmem er bent to circular form and having a substantially cylindricalbaseportion provided with marinal flanges, one end of said base portion ein.cut through to form a recess', vthe walls of w ich are undercut, theother end of said base portion having a projection adapted to enter saidrecess and interlock with the walls thereof so as to secure saidrimagainst expansion, a'plate carried b the inner face of saidlrim aatthe end having the projection and adapted to under lie the other end ofthe same, whereby relative radial movement in one direction isprevented, a movable latch carried bythe other end `of said 'rim andadapted to prevent relative radial movement in the opposite direction,and means for retaining said latch in retaining position.

` 5. Atlre receivin rim comprisingatransverselyr split meta 1c channelmember-bent 'to circular form and having a substantially cylindrical.base portion, one end of said base portion being cut through to form o.T s hapedrec'ess with its lar er portion at a distance from the Yend oft e member, the

1,129,999 v i al;

other end of the member being extended to form a similar shapedprojection adapted to fit Within said recess, the thickness of saidprojection being substantially the same as that of said base portion,and additional'.

members of sheet metal secured to the ends of said channel member andadapted to obstruct relative radial movement of said ends,

one of said last named members being movable into and out of obstructingposition'.

6. In a tire receiving rim, the combination, with a transversely splitmetallic channel ymember bent to-circular form and having interlockingends, one of Which is formed with a. recess and the other with aprojection adapted toventer said recess, of a latch member pivoted tothe inner face of said first member upon a substantially radial axis andadapted to prevent relative radial movement of said ends in onedirection, one of said members being formed with a boss and the otherwith a cavity arranged torecei've said boss when said latch member is inobstruct'- ing position, said latch member being sufliciently yieldingto permit said boss to be sprung into and out of said cavity, and

'means for preventing relative radial movement of said ends in theopposite direction. 7. The combination, with 'a cylindrical nel memberbent to circular form and a-rranged to seat upon said spacing devices toclose said channel, said channel member having interlocking ends, one ofwhich is recessed and the other formed with a projection adapted toenter said recess, a latch member pivoted to the inner face of saidchannel member upon asubstantially radial axis and adapted to retainsaid projection in said recess, one of said last named members beingformed with a boss and the other with a cavity adapted to receive saidboss, said latch member being of a Width to lie between said spacingdevices When said channel member isin position upon said supportingmember and of a thickness to be closely adjacent to the face of saidsupporting member So as to prevent said boss from belngdisplaced fromits cavity.

lln testimony whereof, I hereunto afix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

ADOLF F. lPELZ. Witnesses HAROLD E; SMITH, CHAs. W. BROWN.

